Time to ditch your BT, Sky or Virgin router? New broadband tech could boost your speeds

When you sign up for a new broadband plan from firms such as BT, Sky or Virgin Media, you’ll be sent a branded router that plugs into the wall and beams the web around your home. Most of these flashing black boxes offer a pretty decent experience but, if your router hasn’t been upgraded in a while or you simply want better speeds, it could be worth splashing out and buying something new.

A whole host of firms offer powerful routers with many now featuring the latest Wi-Fi 6 technology which can cope with much faster speeds and having more devices connected to them at the same time.

That means far greater stability which ends the nightmare of streams coming to a stuttering halt or zoom calls glitching when numerous members of the family are using connected devices around the home at the same time.

One firm boasting that it can stop the buffering is Linksys with the tech company just announcing two new routers for consumers.

The Atlas 6 and Hydra 6 both feature Wi-Fi 6 and internet-boosting mesh technology which helps to bring a supremely stable connection to even the biggest of properties.

Mesh systems are far more intelligent than simple boosters with these devices able to monitor web traffic and make sure the best speeds are beamed to the correct areas of a property.

Linksys says its Atlas 6 is ideal for hybrid work, online gaming and 4K UHD streaming.

If you have endless devices in your home then the Hydra 6 delivers high-speed wireless data for up to 25 devices over 2,000 square feet. Both of these boosters work best if you have gigabit speeds in your property – something Virgin, Sky and BT all now offer.

“There is an increased need for wireless connectivity that can handle the influx of devices on home networks, and deliver reliable, secure and private connections,” said Alan Cohen, VP of Marketing and Head of Product at Linksys. “Our mission is to connect everyone securely and through the launch of these systems, we provide our customers with two new options for fast speed, coverage, and connectivity at an affordable price point.”

Along with that new release from Linksys, Amazon’s popular Eero brand has also released a new Wi-Fi 6 router which the firm says is its most powerful to date.

If your Internet Service Provider (ISP) has enough power, the Eero 6E is capable of pumping the internet around homes at speeds in excess of 2Gbps and can handle 100 gadgets connected at the same time.

As the UK’s broadband gets faster, these new routers may become a necessity in the future although it’s worth noting that they will only improve the connection around your home and not the speeds supplied by your ISP.